diff --git a/sdk/python/feast/feature_store.py b/sdk/python/feast/feature_store.py
index 4fb6129722..f75077f509 100644
--- a/sdk/python/feast/feature_store.py
+++ b/sdk/python/feast/feature_store.py
@@ -1159,11 +1159,6 @@ def write_to_online_store(
         """
         ingests data directly into the Online store
         """
-        if not flags_helper.enable_direct_ingestion_to_online_store(self.config):
-            raise ExperimentalFeatureNotEnabled(
-                flags.FLAG_DIRECT_INGEST_TO_ONLINE_STORE
-            )
-
         # TODO: restrict this to work with online StreamFeatureViews and validate the FeatureView type
         feature_view = self._registry.get_feature_view(
             feature_view_name, self.project, allow_cache=allow_registry_cache
diff --git a/sdk/python/feast/flags.py b/sdk/python/feast/flags.py
index a1ca0c3b73..26e20d81f6 100644
--- a/sdk/python/feast/flags.py
+++ b/sdk/python/feast/flags.py
@@ -1,12 +1,10 @@
 FLAG_ALPHA_FEATURES_NAME = "alpha_features"
 FLAG_ON_DEMAND_TRANSFORM_NAME = "on_demand_transforms"
 FLAG_AWS_LAMBDA_FEATURE_SERVER_NAME = "aws_lambda_feature_server"
-FLAG_DIRECT_INGEST_TO_ONLINE_STORE = "direct_ingest_to_online_store"
 ENV_FLAG_IS_TEST = "IS_TEST"
 
 FLAG_NAMES = {
     FLAG_ALPHA_FEATURES_NAME,
     FLAG_ON_DEMAND_TRANSFORM_NAME,
     FLAG_AWS_LAMBDA_FEATURE_SERVER_NAME,
-    FLAG_DIRECT_INGEST_TO_ONLINE_STORE,
 }
diff --git a/sdk/python/feast/flags_helper.py b/sdk/python/feast/flags_helper.py
index 89905e7d36..7cf16dbf0b 100644
--- a/sdk/python/feast/flags_helper.py
+++ b/sdk/python/feast/flags_helper.py
@@ -37,7 +37,3 @@ def enable_on_demand_feature_views(repo_config: RepoConfig) -> bool:
 
 def enable_aws_lambda_feature_server(repo_config: RepoConfig) -> bool:
     return feature_flag_enabled(repo_config, flags.FLAG_AWS_LAMBDA_FEATURE_SERVER_NAME)
-
-
-def enable_direct_ingestion_to_online_store(repo_config: RepoConfig) -> bool:
-    return feature_flag_enabled(repo_config, flags.FLAG_DIRECT_INGEST_TO_ONLINE_STORE)
diff --git a/sdk/python/feast/repo_config.py b/sdk/python/feast/repo_config.py
index 3744c0096b..4fc46b91fa 100644
--- a/sdk/python/feast/repo_config.py
+++ b/sdk/python/feast/repo_config.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import logging
 import os
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Any
@@ -23,6 +24,8 @@
 from feast.importer import import_class
 from feast.usage import log_exceptions
 
+_logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 # These dict exists so that:
 # - existing values for the online store type in featurestore.yaml files continue to work in a backwards compatible way
 # - first party and third party implementations can use the same class loading code path.
@@ -278,7 +281,11 @@ def _validate_flags(cls, v):
 
         for flag_name, val in v.items():
             if flag_name not in flags.FLAG_NAMES:
-                raise ValueError(f"Flag name, {flag_name}, not valid.")
+                _logger.warn(
+                    "Unrecognized flag: %s. This feature may be invalid, or may refer "
+                    "to a previously experimental feature which has graduated to production.",
+                    flag_name,
+                )
             if type(val) is not bool:
                 raise ValueError(f"Flag value, {val}, not valid.")